Oil-break-switch.



H. J, HUNSICKER.

OIL BREAK SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY29,1907.

Patented N 0V. 29, 1910.

UNITED STATES To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY J. HUNsrcKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and btate of New York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Oil Breakn Switches, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.,

My invention relates to oil break switches, and has for its objectthe production of a switch which will automatically break the are formed when a high potential energy transmission circuit is broken.

Briefiy stated, my invention comprises a double oil pot for the electrodes, one oil pot being seated within the other, and both partially or wholly tilled with oil under pressure of gravity. The working contact is made and broken within the inclosed oil pot, and as the contacts are separated a jet of oil is formed which follows the arc, constricting the same and finally extinguishing it.

My invention is illustrated in the accornpanying drawings, in which the igure shows a vertical sectional-view of a double unit constituting a breaker for one phase or one side of a circuit.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a suitable base preferably of insulating maerial and which forms a part of a suitable lire proof casing (not shown) in which switches of this type are usually mounted. Mounted upon insulators 2 are the outer inclosing cases or shells 8 of the switch, both of which are identical, a description of one being therefore suiiicient. A base plate 1 of metal yand relatively heavy as compared with y the rest of the casing 3, is threaded to the upper portion of the insulator 2 and is offset' to `torno a shoulder 5 which receives the lower end ot' the casing 3. The upper end of the casing is provided with a cap 6 screwthreaded thereto and apertured to receive the insulator which has a central bore 8 allowing the free passage of the electrode 9.

rlfhe insulator 2 projects up into the casing 3 for some distance and the stationary electrode l0 passes centrally therethrough and is provided at its upper end with a threaded portion to receive the clamping nut 11. The rod is similarly threaded on its lower end to receive the clamping nut 12 and at this end is also provided with a ter- Yninal binding post 13. The clamping nutsV Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led May 99, 7.902?.

Serial No. 376,432.

11 and 12 secure the stationary electrode within the insulator and prevent longitudinal movement therethrough. In practice the nut 11 is sulciently large to form a base upon which an inner oil pot 14 may seat.

This vessel 14 has the upper end of the elec-- -bored to allow for the passage of the movable electrode. Part of this insulator 18 projects into the outer casing 3 and is corrugated and the other part projects into the vessel 14. This latter part is made eX- tremely thick and heavy and of such diameter as to almost completely till the interior of the casing. The lower end of the. central bore therethrough is iared out to allow the easy passage'of the oil when put under pressure by the arc gases.

Both of the electrodes 9' foreach unit are connected together electrically and mechanicall by a cross connecting bar, 19.` Centra] y connected to the bar 19 and insulated therefrom by insulating washers 20 is an operating rod 21 which may be worked by well known mechanism to raise the movable electrode 9 trom contact with the stationary electrode 15 when desired. The circuit of the switch is from one stationary lelectrode to its coperating movable electrode, cross-connecting bar, movable electrode of the other unit and stationary electrode thereol:l to line,

The operation of the invention is as follows: When the electrode 9 is separated from the stationary electrode 15, an arcis sprung therebetween in the vessel 14. Gas is thereby generated and a high pressure instantly created but as the movement of the electrode is relatively rapid and is also accelerated by the pressure of the gases directed against it, there is no danger of rupturing the vessel. The oil as it is displaced by the arc and by the gases formed in the chamber necessarily .must find some exit. As the. electrode is drawn through the central bore of the insulator the oil finds exit 'therethrough in a stream which is directly against the movable electrode at a high velocity, and as a consequence the arc 1s Patented Nov. 29,1910

rie

ruptured or destroyed.

quently finds access to the outer vessel, some pressure must therefore be found therein. I relieve this pressure by making the bore of the insulator 7 of slightly larger diameter than the electrode 9. This allows the air above the oil to escape and thus prevents any pressure in the casing. After the arc has been broken and the ressure relieved in the interior vessel the oi bubbles back and again assumes its normal level.

Many modificationsfand changes might be resorted -to in practice, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I contemplate all such changes and modifications within the scope and purview of the claims ap ended.

Having thus escribed my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric switch, the combination of a base, insulating means mounted thereon, an outer and an inner vessel mounted on said insulating means, both of said vessels containingl an insulating fluid and the inner vessel covered thereby-and adapted to confine its contained iuid under initial pressure, a pair of electrodes adapted to make and break contact Within said inner vessel, and means for restricting the are formed after breaking, said means acting to direct the Huid put under pressure in -the arc into the path of the moving electrode and against the arc so as to rupture the latter.

-2. An electric switch comprising in combination a base or support, an insulator mounted thereon, an oil pot With an o ening in its bottom to receive the head of the insulator and supported thereon, a pressure pot in the oil pot, supported upon the head of the insulator, oil 1n the oil pot covering and lling the pressure pot, a xed electrode in the pressure pot having a connecting stern passing down through the insulaf tor with its end projecting therefrom 'for mechanical and electrical connections, and a movable electrode operated through one wall U As pressure is l of the oil pot and adapted to pass into and created 1n the interior vessel and subsel out of an opening in thc pressure pot, through the Wall, whereby the arc formed upon breaking will be drawn out and attenuated in the oil, and Will be extinguished thereby.

3. An electric switch comprising in combination an insulator having a circular figure in cross section a cylindrical oil pot receiving the head of said insulator through an opening in its bottom and secured upon the neck thereof, a pressure pot mounted upon the head of the insulator within the oil pot, a fixed electrode seated in the bottom of said pressure pot with a connection passing through the insulator, an insulating bushing in the Wall of the pressure pot opposite the fixed electrode and having its bore alined therewith, an insulating bushing seated in an opening in the top of the oil pot, and having its bore alined with the bore of the first mentioned-bushing and the fixed electrode and a movable electrode passing through both of said bushings to make contact with the fixed electrode in the pressure pot, and Withdrawn through the first bushing in breaking, whereby an arc created blast from the ressure pot will follow the arc through -said first bushing, and extinguish it.

4. An electric switch comprising an oil pot and a pressure pot, with a single insulator having a reduced neck and supporting one pot upon the shoulder around its neck and the other pot upon its head, the oil pot having an opening in its bottom to receive said head, together with oil inthe pots, a fixed electrode in the pressure pot and a movable electrode adapted to pass in and out of said pressure pot in making and breaking the circuit.

In testimony whereof l afhx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY J. HUNSICKER.

Witnesses M. L. Srnvnn, l-l. C. Ginn. 

